Ghostzapper gets a break after Classic
win
Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) hero GHOSTZAPPER (Awesome Again)
will get a well-deserved break, according to trainer Bobby
Frankel, before returning for a five-year-old campaign.
“We’ll put him away for a while now and bring him back
for the Met Mile ([G1] at Belmont Park) in the spring,”
Frankel said. “Then there will be a summer campaign for
him.”
Ghostzapper led from gate to wire in Saturday’s Classic to
become the first son of a previous Classic winner to take the
race. Awesome Again captured the 1998 edition of the Classic at
Churchill Downs.
“I am very pleased and very proud of Ghostzapper and his
sire,” said Frank Stronach, who bred and owned both Classic
victors. “(Ghostzapper) is a very exciting horse and I think
I owe it to the racing public to run him next year. I don’t plan
for any races outside the country. We won’t be going to Japan or
Dubai with him.”
Ghostzapper posted a record time of 1:59 for the 1 1/4-mile
Classic, which was the first time the bay colt had ever run that
distance. Prior to Saturday, he had competed in, and won, the 6
1/2-furlong Vosburgh S. (G1), seven-furlong Tom Fool H. (G2),
nine-furlong Philip H. Iselin Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) and 1
1/8-mile Woodward S. (G1).
“The mile and a quarter distance wasn’t a question in my
mind,” said Frankel, adding that it was “a
no-brainer” that Ghostzapper should be voted Horse of the
Year. “This horse, you can run him six furlongs or you can
run him as far as you want. He’ll go head-and-head or he’ll come
from 20 lengths out of it. And he doesn’t carry his racetrack
around with him. He’s a dream horse and he might well be a super
horse.”
ROSES IN MAY (Devil His Due), three lengths back of
Ghostzapper in second, came out of the Classic in good shape and
will head back to his home base of Churchill Downs on Monday,
according to Earl Puckett, assistant trainer to Dale Romans.
Defending Classic winner PLEASANTLY PERFECT (Pleasant Colony)
exited the race with a minor injury to his hind ankle, trainer
Richard Mandella said.
“He came out of it a little jarred up behind,” the
Hall of Fame conditioner reported. “It doesn’t look like
anything serious, but we’ll run him through a scan.”
Pleasantly Perfect shipped back to California Sunday morning.
If the six-year-old gets the OK after the scan he could make his
final career start in the November 28 Japan Cup Dirt (Jpn-G1) in
Tokyo before heading to stud at Lane’s End Farm near Lexington,
Kentucky.
Fourth-place finisher PERFECT DRIFT (Dynaformer) will head for
the Clark H. (G2) at Churchill Downs on the day after
Thanksgiving, trainer Murray Johnson said.
“We’ll be back to run again next year (with Perfect
Drift),” he said. “We’re very careful, and take good
care of him. He’s had some minor foot problems but that’s
all.”
Connections of 2002 Horse of the Year AZERI (Jade Hunter)
opted for the Classic instead of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1)
and the six-year-old mare rewarded them with a game fifth-place
finish.
“We (owner Michael Paulson) haven’t made a
decision,” trainer D. Wayne Lukas said on the champion
mare’s future. “She goes back to Churchill Downs (on
Monday). There is a stakes on November 25 (Falls City [G2])
that’s out there, but we didn’t have much time to talk about it.
But I think there is a chance you will see her again.”
Azeri is scheduled to be bred in February.
PERSONAL RUSH (Wild Rush) left early Sunday morning for
California and his return trip to Japan. The sophomore, who ran
sixth in the Classic, will get a break until next year when he
starts a summer campaign aimed toward another Classic try.
Seventh-place finisher BIRDSTONE (Grindstone) will also
receive a vacation, according to trainer Nick Zito. The Belmont
S. (G1) winner will head to Kentucky. Champion FUNNY CIDE
(Distorted Humor) left Sunday morning for Belmont Park and will
eventually ship to Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida.
Other Breeders’ Cup runners were also preparing to head back
to their home bases on Sunday.
Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) queen ASHADO (Saint Ballado) will
ship to Palm Meadows Training Center on Tuesday along with
stablemates PROUD ACCOLADE (Yes It’s True), sixth in the Juvenile
(G1), and NEWFOUNDLAND (Storm Cat), 12th in the Classic. The dark
bay miss gave trainer Todd Pletcher his first Breeders’ Cup win,
but it wasn’t to be his last.
SPEIGHTSTOWN (Gone West) scored in the Sprint (G1) by 1 1/4
lengths to give Pletcher his second Breeders’ Cup score on the
day. The six-year-old chestnut made his final start in the Sprint
and will head to WinStar Farm near Versailles, Kentucky on Monday
to begin his stud career.
Also finishing her racing career in the Breeders’ Cup was
STORM FLAG FLYING (Storm Cat). The four-year-old miss, winner of
the 2002 Breeders’ Juvenile Fillies (G1), was aiming to become
the first to win two different Breeders’ Cup events but was
second in the Distaff in her last career start. She’ll try
instead to emulate her granddam, Broodmare of the Year Personal
Ensign, in the breeding shed at Claiborne Farm near Paris,
Kentucky, where she’s scheduled to be bred to A.P. Indy.
Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) hero SINGLETARY (Sultry Song) gave his
trainer, Don Chatlos Jr., his first Breeders’ Cup winner from his
first starter.
“I’m one-for-one in the Breeders’ Cup; my percentage can
only go down from here,” Chatlos quipped Sunday.
Singletary, who headed back to California early Sunday
morning, could make his next start in the Citation H. (G1) on
November 27 at his home base of Hollywood Park. Chatlos said the
four-year-old bay would stay in training for next year.
BETTER TALK NOW (Talkin Man) exited his Breeders’ Cup Turf
(G1) win in good shape, according to Fenella O’Flynn, assistant
trainer to H. Graham Motion.
The biggest upset and favorite on Breeders’ Cup Day both
hailed from across the pond. English-based WILKO (Awesome Again)
made his final start for trainer Jeremy Noseda a victory in the
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). The chestnut colt will now switch to
trainer Craig Dollase’s barn in California.
Fellow European OUIJA BOARD (GB) (Cape Cross [Ire]) was the
shortest-priced winner on the Breeders’ Cup card, going off at
4-5 and posting a 1 1/2-length win in the Breeders’ Cup Filly
& Mare Turf (G1). She’ll fly to Paris early Monday morning
before returning to England on Tuesday.
SWEET CATOMINE (Storm Cat) wasn’t as short-priced as Ouija
Board, but the bay miss did go off the favorite in the Breeders’
Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) to post an easy 3 3/4-length victory.
She arrived back at trainer Julio Canani’s Santa Anita barn
Sunday morning.